1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the virtualization of a data link layer (layer 2) connectivity for hosts residing in a virtualized networking environment. More particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing network virtualization in an information handling system in which a physical machine coupled to a network is divided into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which has a host system residing thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
The IBM Open Systems Adapter (OSA) is a hardware element that interfaces between an IBM S/390 or zSeries processor and a network, which may be a private network within an enterprise, a public network, or a combination of both. References that describe the Open Systems Adapter include the following patents, patent applications and publications, incorporated herein by reference:                U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,221, Ratcliff et al., “Dynamically configuring and monitoring hosts connected in a computing network having a gateway device”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,743, Lee et al., “IP multicast interface”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,285, Lee et al., “IP multicast interface”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,027, Lee et al., “IP multicast interface”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,621, Lee et al., “Method for shared multicast interface in a multi-partition environment”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,218, Ratcliff et al., “Communication method and apparatus for use in a computing network environment having high performance LAN connections”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,859, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists using multi-path channel protocol”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,699, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists for high performance LAN connections”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,261, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists using multi-path channel protocol”        U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,080, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists using multi-path channel protocol”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,974, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists for high performance LAN connections”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,515, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists using multi-path channel protocol”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,049, Ratcliff et al., “Internet Protocol assists for high performance LAN connections”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,438, Ratcliff et al., “Methods and system for network communications of multiple partitions”        U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. 2002/0075878, Lee et al., “IP Multicast Interface”        U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. 2002/0029286, Gioquindo et al., “Communication between multiple partitions employing host-network interface”        OSA-Express Implementation Guide, IBM Redbooks, SG24-5948-02, January 2003        OSA-Express for IBM eServer zSeries and S/390, IBM, G221-9110-03, April 2004        
A great deal of effort has been expended recently on the consolidation of server workloads onto enterprise-class servers such as the IBM eServer zSeries servers. Such consolidation can produce considerable efficiencies of utilization, since the individual workloads tend to average out on a large server. However, such server consolidation efforts and the cost of high-speed network adapters (i.e., TCP/IP offload and 10 Gb/s) are also driving the need for network virtualization. That is to say, users of enterprise computing systems want a single physical network interface card (NIC) to support multiple servers. However, in an environment that has hundreds if not thousands of servers, each of which needs to have dual network connect capabilities for failover, the complexity and cost of having dual NICs per server image is no longer practical. To be successful and provide a solution which can support a large, heterogeneous consolidated server environment, the network virtualization layer must be protocol independent. A high percentage of the traffic into the consolidated server will be TCP/IP traffic, but there will still be some servers that require non-TCP/IP protocols to flow. User requirements often specify that a connection support network connectivity both for TCP/IP protocols and for non-TCP/IP protocols.
The present invention provides a protocol-independent solution that bridges virtual and physical layer 2 communications into a single seamless networking fabric.